Belt buckle



Feb. l1, '1941. Q A- KOHNKE 2,231,724

BELT BUCKLE Filed April 20, 1939 Patented Feb. 11, 1941 y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- BELT BUCKLE.

Bernard A. Kohnke, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 2o, 1939, serial No. 268,925

1 claim. (o1. 24-191) This invention relates to an improved type of portion of flanges 2 and is positioned adjacent fastening device for use with substantially open the peripheral edge of the buckle body. face belt buckles. It has been found that the The leVefr 5 comprises a plate 1 which is progripping devices of present buckles in commercial vided with an aperture 8. Disposed at substan- 5 use are not suitable for open face buckles inastially right angles to the plane .of the plate 1, f much as the gripping levers tend to exert too adjacent each of the pivot pins 6, are spaced great a force on the cut-out monogram in the apart lugs or clamping members 9 and 9. vThe face of the buckle and distort same. upper faces of each of the lugs 9 and 9 are ser- An object of the invention is to provide a belt rated, as indicated at Il), whereby the serrated 10 buckle which will securely hold an inserted belt surfaces of said lugs function aS SuppOItS tO grip i0 and at the same time position the belt in such the belt 4 adjacent itS Opposite edges and Clamp a mann-er that it will not bulge through the open Said belt tiglltli7 'agaiIlSt the buckle body I. In face there0fthis manner the threading end of the belt 4 may Another object is the provision of a buckle be detaellably Secured ill the buckle. The OPPO- is which Win permit the use of niigree work due to site end of the belt 4 may be looped through the 15 the absence of the customary exerted pressure aDeTtureii,aSiI1d-eated at li, and may be Stltehed set up by an inserted belt. 01 O'thelWlSe fastened.

A further object is the provision of spaced In View 0f the faot that the clamping action apart g1.ipping fasteners near the peripheral edge of the lugs 9 and 9 is confined adjacent the side of a belt buckle which tend to impress an inedges 0f the belt and 110 pOSltve Clamping action 20 serted beit to the frame of the buckle body in takes place at the longitudinal 'central portion such a manner that the belt Will not contact the 0f the belt there 1S n0 force wh1ch would tend open face of the buckle. t0 Squeeze the Central portion of the belt through A still further object is the provision of a belt apertures |2 D10V1ded 1n the face 0f the buckle buckle with a minimum .of parts which permit body. In th1s manner the central portion of the 25 ease of operation. belt would tend to belly :or sag away from the These and other objects and features of the Open face 0f he buckle, aS SllOWllat I3, and WOuld invention Will be apparent in the following specinot be assocla'ted Wlih ifile fllgree WOIk, Cut-out cation and will be dened in the claim hereto monogram or other msgma 0n the falce 0f 1ille buckle. It will also be noted that the Width of 30 annrzilelfdmwng the clamping members 9 and Sis substantially that of the outer frame ortion I4 and tha li Fig. 1 is a face VleW 0f the buckle m 3550012" force of the clamping mgmbers is exerted sibltelief tion with a belt. i against this frame portion, avoiding any strain Fig. 2 is an enlarged SeCtlOilal VleW taken 0n or stress on the cut out portion dened therein. 35 line 2-2 of Fig. 1. This absence of strain on the monogram will Fig. 3 iS a Verteal @TCSS-Sectional View taken avoid distortion or severance thereof from the on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. frame body.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 illustrating a As a modication of my invention (Fig. 4 of modification of my invention. the drawing), I may provide a positive means of 40 Fig- 5 iS a tOD plan VieW O'f the buckle Sl-lOWn forcing the belt away from the central portion of in Fig. 4, With parts being bl'OkeIl aWaY and parte the buckle face. The buckle may be constructed being shown in section. in the manner above described and may be modi- Referrlng more in detail t0 the dl'a'iiirlgy I may fied by providing diagonal ridges I5 on the upper provide a bOdlr member eOmpriSing a fIOllt plate face of each of the lugs 9 and 9'. The diagonal 4 l, having Projecting Side flanges 2, which flanges ridges l5 may be disposed at an angle to the plane are in turn bent inwardly, as at 3, to form guides 0f rotation of the lugs 9 and 9' and may resem for an inserted belt end 4. ble the threads of a worm gear. The pitch of AS a feature 0f 'my inventien I may lJIOVde the ridges on each lug may be positively disposed 50 a lever 5 which may extend transversely belillifeen and may function to exert an inward thrust when Opposite flanges 2 and may be pVOtally attached said lugs are rotated into contact with the face Within and tO Said flanges by means of pivot pins of the belt 4 whereby the central portion of the 6. It will be noted, in referring to Fig. 2, that belt is bent, as indicated at I3. By means of the lever 5 is pivotally connected at the lower these provisions it will be noted that in addi- 55 tion to there not being any force tending to squeeze the central portion of the belt through the apertured face of the buckle body, the opp'ositely pitched ridges l5 provide a positive means whereby the central portion of the belt is forced away from the apertures in the face of the buckle body.

The term ligree work as used in the specification and claim is defined as any delicate monogram, insignia or symbol which may be cut out of the face of the buckle or detachably positioned in the frame work thereof.

It will be seen that various modifications in the details of `construction may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and I therefore do not wish to be restricted tothe precise details hereinabove set forth except as so limited by the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A belt buckle comprising a frame portion, ligree .work secured to the inner periphery of said frame, said frame having flange portions extending horizontally thereof and terminating in members forming .guideways therewith extending downwardly and inwardly therefrom, a lever member having an opening therein adapted to engage a belt end and being pivotally mounted in and extending between the flange portions, a pair .of spaced apart clamping members provided with diagonal ridges on the upper faces thereof formed on said lever adjacent to the inner sides of said flanges and of a width substantially that of the frame portion, the said clamping members being adapted to act essentially against the horizontal portions of said frame adjacent to a vertical portion thereof.

BERNARD A. KOHNKE. 

